This One Wish
by Tary Lantis
Summary: Christmas is the time for wishes to come true. Believe and have hope. Just a little fluffy Sparky fic that came to me after I watched the trailer for Be All My Sins Remember'd. John, Elizabeth, Caldwell, Atlantis team


**Title**: This One Wish  
**Rating**/**Genre**: PG-13/Drama & Fluff  
**Characters**: Sparky, but several others get to play  
**Spoilers**: Everything through "This Mortal Coil" including a teeny tiny spoiler from "Be All My Sins Remember'd" from what I've seen on the teasers.  
**Disclaimer**: No infringement intended. I own nothing. I have nothing.  
**Summary**: Christmas is the time for wishes to come true.  
**Author's** **notes**: Just a little fluffy Sparky fic that came to me after I watched the trailer for "Be All My Sins Remember'd".

This One Wish

"Colonel Sheppard to the infirmary. Colonel Sheppard. Infirmary." Jennifer's voice rang urgently over his radio.

John immediately rushed out of the conference room where Sam was discussing some new Intel that they had received on some of the remaining Replicator armada. He didn't know why he was even in the meeting. In body, he was just going through the motions, but his mind was in the infirmary where the woman he loved lay in a coma for the last two weeks.

"Doc, what is it?" he asked, his voice laced with both hope and anxiety.

"She's stirring, Colonel," Jennifer replied. "You'll need to be in a suit though."

"I know the drill," he grumbled. He changed into the hazmat suit and followed one of the nurses back to Elizabeth's quarantined room. Before entering, he bowed his head and said a quick prayer. He had never been big into praying, but ever since she was found onboard one of the Replicator warships, he couldn't help but feel that God, or whatever version of God existed in the Pegasus galaxy, had answered his prayers.

Jennifer glanced at him then back at her monitors as the pale woman, lying in the bed, moaned softly.

"Elizabeth," John whispered, grasping her hand and using his other hand to brush back a couple of brown curls from her face. "We all miss you so much. Please wake up."

The doctor nodded. "Talk to her. We're trying to get her fever down. It shot up about an hour ago."

He only nodded, not bothering to ask questions. His questions never had any answers that he wanted to hear anyway. He gently caressed his fingers across her cheek, feeling the warmth. The announcement of her extraction from the Replicator ship echoed in his mind.

_(two weeks ago)_

"Colonel Caldwell, I'm picking up a single life sign on our target."

Steven snapped his head around. "Can you get a lock on the location?"

"Yes, Sir." The technician worked on his console as Steven left his chair to stand behind him, watching. "She's in the belly of the ship. Sir, it's Doctor Weir's locator beacon."

For a split second, Steven's surprise was evident on his face. "Can we beam her up? Directly to our infirmary?"

"Yes," the technician answered but another officer chimed in, "Is that wise, Sir? She could be compromised. It could be a trap."

Rethinking his order, Steven agreed. "We don't have the technology to determine that. Comm. Get me the infirmary on Atlantis. Weapons. Do not fire until I tell you."

"Doctor Keller? I have Colonel Caldwell on the radio," Chuck radioed.

"For me?" Jennifer asked, looking surprised since the Colonel never spoke to her.

"That's what he said, Doctor."

"Okay, I've got him," Jennifer acknowledged. "Colonel Caldwell, this is Doctor Keller."

"Keller, we have a situation up here. I need to know if you can handle it."

"I can try. What's going on?"

"We've located a life sign on one of these enemy ships. It's Doctor Weir."

Jennifer gasped, "Doctor Weir? She's alive?"

"From our readings, yes. Our concern is the safety of this vessel. I can't risk infecting my crew, but I can't…"

"Colonel," Jennifer interrupted. "Can you beam her directly to our infirmary? McKay has extensive data on the nanites and Replicators. We can make sure she and us are safe."

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Doctor. When can you be ready to receive her?"

"Give me…uh…five minutes."

"You have three, Doctor," Steven advised, placing Atlantis on hold. "Weapons. Standby for destruction. Doctor Novak?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"I need you to get ready to beam Doctor Weir onboard and then immediately beam her down to Atlantis' infirmary. Can that be done seamlessly?"

Lindsay glanced at Hermoid, who confirmed the request by blinking his big eyes. "Yes, Colonel."

"Good." Steven switched back to Atlantis. "Keller, what's your status?"

"Almost ready, Colonel. We're setting up the quarantine room for her arrival."

"Copy that. Colonel Carter, come in," Steven radioed, figuring he better alert the commander of Atlantis on their recent discovery.

"Go ahead, Colonel," Sam answered.

"I thought I better inform you that we have located Doctor Weir onboard the Replicator ship we are tracking. Keller is preparing to receive her in under two minutes."

"You found Doctor Weir? Alive?" She remembered how crushed the team had been when their Replicator selves informed them that Oberoth had had her killed because of the threat she posed to them. In fact, most of them were still trying to deal with the loss.

"Yes, Ma'am. We've been scanning each ship for life signs before firing. Sheppard's orders."

Sam nodded to no one. She was aware that John had ordered both Colonel Caldwell and Colonel Ellis to do a scan of life on each warship – just in case. "Where is she now?"

"Still on the ship. We are going to use the Daedalus as a transfer point."

"And Keller is set up for this?" she asked skeptically.

"She assured me that McKay has technology that can immediately detect if she is a threat to the city's safety." He paused. "Carter, I'd advise you to wait until Keller determines Weir's condition before telling the others. If she's…well, it may be better if they didn't have that…"

"Absolutely, Colonel. I'm on my way to the infirmary now."

"Will you be able to make the call? I mean, if you're not sure, I can beam down also. Assist you." His words came out more disconnectedly than he would have liked, but Elizabeth was his friend, and he had come to respect her over the couple of years assisting her and Atlantis.

"No, Colonel. You have a ship to command. If I have to, I will see to it." Neither said the words, but they both knew that if Elizabeth was severely compromised that they may have to end her life. It was something Sam didn't want to think about, but it was something she had to prepare herself to do.

"Very well. Caldwell out."

Sam entered the infirmary, heading towards the quarantine room Jennifer and her team was setting up. "Keller?"

"Just a minute, Colonel," Jennifer answered.

Ignoring Jennifer's reply, Sam continued, "Look, I know about Doctor Weir. You are aware that if she is a threat, we'll have to take care of it before the Replicators can track her."

"Yes, Colonel, but McKay has added a jamming sequence that will disrupt communication between the nanites and Replicators. It was something he discovered while working with his Wraith friend."

Sam nodded. "But still…we have to be prepared."

"I understand. We're ready." She looked at Sam before tapping her earpiece. "Colonel Caldwell, we are ready for Doctor Weir."

"Copy that. Doctor Novak, you have a go. Make it quick."

"Yes, Colonel. Beam away." Instantly, the image of Doctor Weir's body appeared on the Daedalus before it disappeared as it was transferred to Atlantis. "Beaming complete," Lindsay relayed.

"We've got her," Sam radioed. "Thank you, Colonel Caldwell."

"No problem. We're going to destroy this enemy ship now. Just one more thing, Carter."

"Yes, Caldwell?"

"Can you keep me informed?"

"I will do that. Thanks again. Carter out." She watched as Jennifer and her team hooked Elizabeth up to several machines. She was in an Asuran gown, and her hair was longer than Sam remembered it. Of course, it had been a few years since she had seen Elizabeth. Her skin was ghostly white, but once Jennifer hooked up the heart monitor, Sam could see the rhythmic spikes. She subconsciously glanced at her watch. "Chuck, let me know immediately if anything strange happens on our sensors."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Even though it seemed like hours, minutes later Jennifer exited the quarantine room. "She's in a coma."

"And? Is she reporting our location?" Sam knew that sounded borderline callous, but the safety of Atlantis had to come first.

"No. I activated the jamming program just in case. I'll have McKay make the final determination on that since he understands the nanites better than I do. For now, she is no threat."

Sam nodded, relief washing across her face. "Good. Okay, give her a full checkup and let me know the extent of her injuries or trauma. Whatever you can diagnosis."

Hours later, John and his team made contact with Atlantis. "How'd the Daedalus and Apollo do today?"

"They each took out two Replicator ships," Sam replied. "Sheppard, I need you and McKay to return immediately."

"That sounds urgent. What's going on, Carter?"

"Just return to Atlantis as soon as you can. We've had some developments in the last twelve hours."

"What kind of developments, Colonel?"

"Just return home. I'll debrief you then. Carter out."

"Carter? Carter! Dammit," John cursed, balling his hand into a fist. "She's so irritating," he grumbled, ignoring that the rest of his team was watching him curiously.

"She's not Weir," Ronon mumbled, receiving a jab in the ribs from Teyla.

"John, she's only trying to do what she thinks is best for Atlantis. I know it's been a difficult adjustment period but…"

"Thank you, Teyla. I appreciate it, but I just don't know anymore."

"What are you saying?" Rodney asked, looking at his friend. "Sheppard, I know you've made some difficult decisions lately." He didn't go into to detail, but the Wallace situation popped into his head, along with the reopened wound of Elizabeth's loss.

"It's not that, Rodney," John began but then changed his mind. "No, it is that. I just don't know if this galaxy has anything left for me. It's not the same without Elizabeth."

Knowing that John was hurting, Teyla disregarded his comment. She knew that he didn't mean the friends he had made, but he meant something else. Something a little deeper. A connection that he and the former leader of Atlantis had. "We still don't know for sure that what the Replicators told us is true, John. They could have been lying."

"I don't think they can lie."

"No, but they could have just been repeating what the other Replicators told them," Ronon told them.

John sighed as he banked the Puddle Jumper towards the approaching Stargate. His crew looked between each other and shook their heads. He guided the Jumper through the gate then into the hangars. The trip used to feel like coming home, but it hadn't felt that way in months, and he knew it would never feel that way again, especially when there was no one to come home to. "You're home," he announced, opening the hatch but remaining in his chair.

"Come on, Sheppard. Sam wanted to see us," Rodney urged.

"It's okay, McKay," Sam's voice filtered in from the back of the Jumper. "I have something to tell you all." She looked between the four before letting her eyes land on John. "Colonel Caldwell found Elizabeth."

Eyes widened throughout the Jumper, and Rodney immediately hijacked the conversation. "Oh God. Where? Is she…?"

John felt like he got punched in the gut. His hands gripped the arms of his chair, and he was thankful that he was still seated. He'd been carrying this hope for so long; he'd been waiting for this moment, but the only thing he could ask was, "And?"

"She was on one of the ships that the Daedalus had targeted. They scanned the ship for life signs and found hers." Her eyes darted between Rodney and John. "She's in quarantine. In a coma."

"No way," Ronon muttered. Teyla slipped one of her hands in Ronon's as she placed the other over her stomach. Her eyes shifted to John and Rodney. "This is wonderful news, is it not?"

Speechless, Rodney and John looked at each other then their teammates. "Yes, yes, of course, it is. I can't believe it. Is she…how's her condition?"

"Keller activated the jamming program just to be safe until you could check her out. The nanites are still active, but they seem to be no threat."

"Why's she in a coma?" John asked, finally finding the words to speak.

"We think Oberoth had placed her in stasis after she was unwilling to cooperate with the collective. We don't know much else, but maybe you can shed some light on it." She looked at Rodney, who nodded.

"Can we see her?" John asked.

Sam nodded. "Of course." She walked with them to the infirmary.

_(present)_

John let a tear trickle down his cheek as he pulled a chair up beside her bed. "Please 'Lizabeth. It's time you wake up. I miss you so much." He felt her hand tighten around his and saw a flicker of an eyelash. "That's it. Open those eyes," he practically begged.

The moment she let a gleam of light meet her eyes, she groaned, snapping her eyelids closed. Her free hand moved to her face, covering her eyes.

"Keller!" John hollered, feeling her hand crush his. He grimaced at her strength.

Jennifer was by his side. "Doctor Weir? Can you hear me?" She tried to pry Elizabeth's hand away from her face.

"It's the lights," John exclaimed, trying to keep his voice low. "Dim the lights."

Once Elizabeth sensed the bright glow had been diminished, she peeked an eye through her hand, spreading her fingers slowly before allowing Jennifer to pull her hand away from her face. Through squinted eyes, she looked at Jennifer and then found John's face. "John? Is it really you?"

John's face lit up. "Yes, it's me." Another tear escaped his eyes. "Oh, God. Elizabeth."

"How are you feeling, Doctor Weir?" Jennifer asked.

"I have a horrific headache, but otherwise, I feel fine," she replied, never taking her eyes away from John.

"We can get you something for that." Jennifer patted her shoulder and left the room.

"John, what's going on?"

"Caldwell found you on a Replicator ship a couple of weeks ago. You've been here ever since." He noticed her eyes looking over the hazmat suit. "It's just a precaution. You're fine. Rodney has jammed any attempt that the little bastards inside you may make to contact the Replicators."

"They're still active?" she asked dishearteningly.

"Unfortunately yes, but Rodney has made some improvements and we might be able to make them inert again. We just wanted to get you awake first."

Elizabeth smiled and reached up to touch his face even though her hand felt the suit. "John, I have to tell you something. Something I should have told you years ago."

Before she could continue, John blurted out, "I love you, Elizabeth. I always have."

Her eyes grew big, and her smile shone brightly. "I love you, too. I promised myself that if I ever got to see you again, I was going to tell you that."

John helped her sit up and then embraced her, whispering, "God, I've missed you." He closed his eyes and said a prayer of thanksgiving.

Her arms encircled him as she buried her head against his chest. Even through the hazmat suit, she could hear his heart beating. It sounded so good.

Jennifer stepped back inside the room. "I hate to break this up, but I have something for your headache."

He released her as Jennifer injected the medication into Elizabeth's I.V. She then checked her vital signs. "Your fever is coming down. Heart and lungs sound good. It looks like you are on your way to a full recovery."

"I just want to feel Atlantis under my feet again," Elizabeth said softly. "Touch her with the palm of my hand. Listen to her hum."

"She's missed you as much as we have." John squeezed Elizabeth's hand.

"You'll be able to do that soon enough," Jennifer promised then quickly revealed, "I just remembered something."

"What?" John and Elizabeth asked.

"Merry Christmas," the doctor announced, winking at the two of them. "I'll be back later."

"Christmas? It's Christmas?"

Stupefied, John stared after Jennifer before looking back at Elizabeth. "I guess it is. I've been so preoccupied that I had forgotten. Today's Christmas Eve."

Elizabeth's smile brightened the room. "Merry Christmas, John."

He pulled her into a tight hug. "Merry Christmas, 'Lizabeth."


End file.
